Well, as I near the year mark since my digestive problems started (prior to which I had not a problem to speak of), I'm still trying to figure out what is wrong. My doc thinks it could be a non bowel-related form of IBS-- non ulcer dyspepsia. Of course, the only tests I've had are an upper endoscopy and three abdominal ultrasounds. I've always suspected my gb, as they did find small stones during my first ultrasound, and I've heard that it can be hard for the ultrasounds to pick up stones and sludge, and that the docs often don't see how bad the gb is until they remove it.

One of the things I've been dealing with (in addition to occasional abdominal pain, belching, pain in my breastbone area, infrequent nausea, and occasional pain in my right rib area) is abdominal fullness. I feel full after eating small meals of 300-400 calories. I have eaten low fat and small meals since this all started, but I still have symptoms. My doc doesn't think I have gb problems, but I'm not so sure. If nothing else, I'd like to rule it out.

I'm just wondering if those of you with gb problems experienced abdominal fullness. It feels different than when I was full before I started having digestive problems-- it feels more like a weight in my stomach. Of course, part of it could be that I eat about 2/3 of what I ate before, but I don't know. Oddly enough, my feelings of fullness got worse after a course of Protonix 8 months ago. I wonder if that jacked me up too.

Again, just wondering if any of you with gb problems experienced discomfort and fullness after not eating much-- not just from large fatty meals, but smaller, low fat meals. I found one site that said abdominal fullness is a symptom, but again, all the sites I read seem to make everything sound the same....very frustrating. I'm just hoping to get my doc to order a HIDA scan, which has not been an easy process for me! This doc and the last haven't exactly jumped at doing a HIDA b/c they don't believe it's gb. But I won't rest easy until I at least know I have a normal HIDA!

Mizzaj, I am in the same boat. 1 year on Dec 29th to be exact. I have upper stomach pain below the ribs goes to my back. I am very bloated. All my tests including the HIDA scan were normal. I even went to a surgoen to see if he would take my gall bladder out. He wanted to consult back to my GI Dr. Who has done nothing. ( GI Dr #2) So I am in pain every day. If I drink a couple of glasses of wine in the evening I can eat dinner and the pain subsides.. WHen I told the surgeon that he said that it was not my gall bladder. So back to square one. I can tolerate fluids but once I eat the pain starts within 1-3 hours and gets steadily worse.

So let me know how you are and if you have any resolution yet.
Sisty

Quote:

Originally Posted by mizzaj

Hi all,

Well, as I near the year mark since my digestive problems started (prior to which I had not a problem to speak of), I'm still trying to figure out what is wrong. My doc thinks it could be a non bowel-related form of IBS-- non ulcer dyspepsia. Of course, the only tests I've had are an upper endoscopy and three abdominal ultrasounds. I've always suspected my gb, as they did find small stones during my first ultrasound, and I've heard that it can be hard for the ultrasounds to pick up stones and sludge, and that the docs often don't see how bad the gb is until they remove it.

One of the things I've been dealing with (in addition to occasional abdominal pain, belching, pain in my breastbone area, infrequent nausea, and occasional pain in my right rib area) is abdominal fullness. I feel full after eating small meals of 300-400 calories. I have eaten low fat and small meals since this all started, but I still have symptoms. My doc doesn't think I have gb problems, but I'm not so sure. If nothing else, I'd like to rule it out.

I'm just wondering if those of you with gb problems experienced abdominal fullness. It feels different than when I was full before I started having digestive problems-- it feels more like a weight in my stomach. Of course, part of it could be that I eat about 2/3 of what I ate before, but I don't know. Oddly enough, my feelings of fullness got worse after a course of Protonix 8 months ago. I wonder if that jacked me up too.

Again, just wondering if any of you with gb problems experienced discomfort and fullness after not eating much-- not just from large fatty meals, but smaller, low fat meals. I found one site that said abdominal fullness is a symptom, but again, all the sites I read seem to make everything sound the same....very frustrating. I'm just hoping to get my doc to order a HIDA scan, which has not been an easy process for me! This doc and the last haven't exactly jumped at doing a HIDA b/c they don't believe it's gb. But I won't rest easy until I at least know I have a normal HIDA!

Miz and Sis- have any of you been tested for Gastroparesis? What you describe sounds just like it.

My doctor wants to do a gastric emptying studying. I could see maybe having a mild case of gastroparesis-- nothing like some people out there who can only drink boost, vomit and have nausea. I have none of that and never have. I did read on Medline Plus (the site for the National Library of Medicine) that Abdominal Fullness and bloating is a symptom of gb disease. So I really won't know until I get the tests done. At this point, I just want to rule things out. I'm not in a lot of pain-- I'm actually have more stomach pain when I'm hungry, but I have enough symptoms of some kind to indicate that something is going on, whatever it may be!

My doctor wants to do a gastric emptying studying. I could see maybe having a mild case of gastroparesis-- nothing like some people out there who can only drink boost, vomit and have nausea. I have none of that and never have. I did read on Medline Plus (the site for the National Library of Medicine) that Abdominal Fullness and bloating is a symptom of gb disease. So I really won't know until I get the tests done. At this point, I just want to rule things out. I'm not in a lot of pain-- I'm actually have more stomach pain when I'm hungry, but I have enough symptoms of some kind to indicate that something is going on, whatever it may be!

Looks like you may going thru what I went through. My symptoms started as acid reflux, loss of appetite, feeling full when I did eat, and just feeling sick all day, but no pain. I always had this right shoulder pain for years which I thought it was my heart, now I suspect that was my gallbladder. My doc suspected gallbladder all along, went thru HIDA, cats scan, sonogram and gastric emptying study. All came back negative. On my 2nd cat scan it showed 1 gallstone, so I got referred to a surgeon.

Had gallbladder taken out December 20, I was told it was diseased and inflamed. I was so surprised to hear that. I feel a little better. I know I probably traumatized my system with the severe depression I had and for being sick for 4 months. Im eating more, and slowly getting better each day.
I hope everyone gets answers from the doctors. Good luck.

Looks like you may going thru what I went through. My symptoms started as acid reflux, loss of appetite, feeling full when I did eat, and just feeling sick all day, but no pain. I always had this right shoulder pain for years which I thought it was my heart, now I suspect that was my gallbladder. My doc suspected gallbladder all along, went thru HIDA, cats scan, sonogram and gastric emptying study. All came back negative. On my 2nd cat scan it showed 1 gallstone, so I got referred to a surgeon.

Had gallbladder taken out December 20, I was told it was diseased and inflamed. I was so surprised to hear that. I feel a little better. I know I probably traumatized my system with the severe depression I had and for being sick for 4 months. Im eating more, and slowly getting better each day.
I hope everyone gets answers from the doctors. Good luck.

Hey Gar,

Glad to hear that you're slowly getting better each day. It sounds like we have some similar symptoms...did you ever have attacks? If I did have attacks, they were when this all started nearly a year ago, and I was still eating rich fatty foods. Since February of last year, I have eaten low fat, smaller meals, but still have symptoms.

It seems to me like everyone presents gb problems really differently. What do you think made your doctor so sure that your problem was gb related? I too have had some right side pain that has radiated to my back at times, but my doctor made no mention that, "Oh, it sounds like gb!" Or even, "Hmmm, maybe it's your gb!" Instead, he just seems so convinced that mine ISN'T gallbladder. And I did have some small stones during my first ultrasound, which one of my GI docs said is usually more telling than negative ultrasounds-- especially because they can't always pick up stones, sludge, and certainly not inflammation. I have heard, like in your situation, that half the time the docs don't see how inflamed the gb is until they remove it.

Well, I hope I get some answers tomorrow at my appointment. I am ready to beg for a HIDA scan, and ask for other tests too-- at CT scan, an upper GI series, etc. But it's interesting that even with these tests, they often come out negative and I feel like it'll be difficult to repeat them if necessary-- especially when the doctor thinks I have non ulcer dyspepsia-- a form of IBS.

If this guy doesn't work out, I'm going to a woman next. No offense, but them male doctors aren't very sympathetic. They think it's all in your head. Maybe as a male they were less inclined to think that of you, but then again, who knows? I just hope that my gender isn't causing some type of discrimination.....we shall see. We shall see....

The only attacks I would have would be right shoulder pain, chest pain and diarrhea after fatty meals. I also had some indigestion as well. For some reason, I never had pain Then all of a sudden I got real sick, felt nauseated and just horrible for 4 months.

My doc suspected gallbladder since the bloodwork showed a slight inflammation of my pancreas. He first thought it was gallstones, but when that came negative he still said it probably is my gallbladder. He then put me on Reglan, thinking it was a motility disorder and that didnt work. Then thats when they found the gallstone and he recommended surgery.

Mizzaj, I know how you feel. The male doctors think because you are a woman that it is all in your head. That is how I feel about it. Maybe I should try a female GI Dr also. Let me know how your appointment goes. Good luck. I hope that some of us can get answers and feel better.
Take care
Sisty